Sweden released its most current assessment of multilateral organisations noting that four organisations have been assessed: The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The assessments are described as “a key tool in strengthening Sweden’s involvement in multilateral organisations. They are also part of the Government’s efforts to more clearly show the results of our international development cooperation.” In 2008, assessments of 23 organisations were conducted, and assessments since have averaged five organisations annually.
The summary document highlights the assessments http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/15331/a/180674
GAVI
GAVI is a partnership and an alliance that brings together governments, multilateral organisations, philanthropists, the private sector, research institutions and civil society. Its overall objective is to save children’s lives and protect people’s health by increasing access to immunisation in the world’s poorest countries.
GAVI is assessed as highly relevant to Swedish development policy. It has an explicit poverty focus and a clear role in contributing to the achievement of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.
GAVI is assessed as having a very high level of internal effectiveness, due partly to the fact that its structure is well suited to its activities and it has a distinct results culture. It is also considered a swift-footed and responsive organisation with a small and efficient secretariat.
GAVI is assessed as having a very high level of external effectiveness. This may be partly explained by the fact that it has a clearly defined and limited mandate that is relatively easy to measure. GAVI has unquestionably achieved important development results. From its launch in 2000 and up to the end of 2009, the organisation financed the vaccination of 257 million children and helped prevent some 5.4 million future deaths.
UNICEF
UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote children’s rights, i.e. the right of the child to survival, development, protection and participation. Its activities encompass both long-term development work and humanitarian action.
UNICEF is assessed as highly relevant to Swedish development goals. The organisation has a unique mandate and contributes significantly to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. UNICEF focuses on supporting the poorest and least developed countries and on reaching the most vulnerable and marginalized children.
UNICEF is assessed as having a high level of internal effectiveness. Several aspects of the organisation’s internal effectiveness have been significantly improved. Sweden’s assessment is that the changes already introduced or currently in the pipeline will pave the way for greater accountability, improved risk management and better tools and mechanisms for results-based management, and will also simplify and improve working procedures. It is too soon, however, to assess the extent to which the reforms and systems that UNICEF has recently introduced work in practice. This is one of the reasons why UNICEF cannot be awarded top marks for internal effectiveness.
UNICEF is assessed as having a high level of external effectiveness. The organisation enjoys a good reputation at country level, and this has impacted favourably on its chances of achieving practical results. Swedish embassies emphasise that UNICEF has high credibility and has performed well in the area of capacity-building. The fact that the organisation is not rated as having a ‘very high’ level of external effectiveness is due to the varying quality of its work in different countries and the somewhat scattered nature of its country programmes.
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 